US2123149A

US2123149A - Spiral binding

Info

Publication number: US2123149A
Application number: US96572A
Authority: US
Inventors: Grumbacher Walter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-08-18
Filing date: 1936-08-18
Publication date: 1938-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 1955-07-05

Description

y 1938. w. GRUMBACHERV 2,123,149

SPIRAL BILINDING Filed Aug. 18, 1936 INVEN I OR,

' v Patented'Ju ly 5, 1938 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE srmar. BINDING .WalterGrumbacher, New York, N. Y. Application August 18, 1936, Serial No. 96,572

' .13 Claims. (oi. 281-25) While I have herein illustrated, and shall hereinafter describe, my invention as the same ap-,

plies to the bindingbf a stack of paper sheets, nevertheless it will be understoodthat my inlii vention is by no means restricted to this type of sheet material but may have far wider applicability. 1

One phase of my invention relates to the binding together in a permanent manner of a plu- 20 rality of sheets. By the term permanent I mean to distinguish this phase from the usual type of looseleafbinding, which is designed for the ready removal and insertion of sheets from or into a stack of sheets, whereas in a permanent binding removal of a sheet may not ordinarily be effected without mutilating the sheet or the binding element.

Another phase of my invention however relates to binding of the looseleaf variety, permitting ready removal and insertion of sheets from or into the assembly.

One object of my invention lies in providing an improved arrangement wherein the rotation of the binder, after it has been associated with a thereby efficiently locking the binder, either permanently or temporarily, in position.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an assembly comprising, in association with a stack of sheets, a backing of substantially rigid material which will impart a certain type of rigidity to the assembled stack, the sheets of which are ordinarily of flexible material.

One of the problems arising with spiral binding elements is that of the catching or binding of parts of the binding element in the walls of the perforations or other portions of the stack, thereby preventing free manipulation of the sheets whenthe stack is to be opened. The ef- 50 feet is particularly objectionable where the ends of the spiral element are deformed or have extraneous members positioned thereon so as to' providetransverse abutments that cannot pass through the perforations of the stack, and will 55 therefore prevent removal of thebinding element stack, is limited to a predetermined amount,

from the stackand thereby hold the sheets in assembled relation. Where such deformations or extraneous members come into contact with portions of the sheets of the stack, binding or mutilation of the sheets is very apt to occur.

It is therefore also among the objects of my invention to provide a construction in which such deformations or extraneous members are located at points removed from the stack itself and in this connection further to provide complementary abutments, that will cooperate with said deformations or extraneous members that limit the rotation of the binding element, at points removed from the stack.

For the attainment of these objects and such other objects as will hereinafter appear or be pointed out, I have shown several embodiments of my invention in the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a bound sheaf or stack of improved characteristics, embodying the features of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the upper portion of a stack of modified construction;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a portion of a further modification; ,and Figure 5 is a sectional view through a portion of a stack provided with two backings or covers.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 in detail, I have illustrated therein a stack 20 of substantially rectangular sheets, the stack being provided with a series of equally spaced perforations 2| adjacent to and substantially parallel to the edge 22 of the stack. The sheets are shown as mounted upon a backing 23 which is relatively rigid, and may be composed of cardboard or the like, the backing conforming preferably to substantially the size and shape of the sheets of the stack 20. This backing is similarly provided with a series of equally spaced perforations adjacent to the edge 24, and the two rows of perforations correspond in spacing and arrangement so that they may be arranged in superposed position.

In accordance with my present invention, the edge 22 of the stack 20 is recessed or cut away, as indicated at 25, thus exposing the opposite ends of the edge 24 and exposing one or more perforations of the backing 23.

A spiral binding element 26 is shown in association with the stack and the backing, and it will be understood that this element may be composed of wire or similar rigid material. Its pitch corresponds to the spacing of the perforations in the stack and in the backing, so that itmay be threaded into engagement with the stack and the backing by rotating it, turn by turn, through the perforations.

When this assembly has been completed, the ends of the binder 26 engage only with the perforations of the backing 23, and, in Figures 1 and 2, these ends are shown as crimped or doubled back, as at 21, so as to engage with relative security with the backing 23. This prevents more than a very slight limited rotation of the binder 26, and holds the parts in permanent assembly.

The reason for providing the cutouts 25 is to providea space for the crimped ends of the binder 26, this crimping being accomplished in association with the backing only, as shown, and leaving the sheets of the stack free for turning them back to expose the sheets underneath. In fact, the freedom of movement of the sheets is highly efiicient, and although permanently bound together these sheets may be folded backwards or forwards around the binder 26 in a manner which makes the device extremely useful.

In Figure 3, I have shown a looseleaf construction, illustrating how a tie pin clasp type of device may be eificiently employed at both ends of a spiral binding element 12, where a stack 13 is mounted in association with a backing 14. In this case, the opposite ends of the edge I5 of the stack are recessed as at 16, thereby exposing the opposite ends of the perforated edge of the backing H. The binder 12 engages with the parts, as before, and the ends, instead of being crimped as in Figure 1, are adapted removably to receive the devices ll. These devices, as has already been stated, are of the tie pin clasp type, and may be readily applied and withdrawn from the ends of the binder to permit the binder to be locked in position or removed if desired. They consist essentially of a substantially cylindrical body with a longitudinal bore therethrough and with spring means and clamps on the interior of the bore for locking the body onto the end of the wire 12. Each device 11 is, of course, removable by an adjustment which releases the jaws and thereby permits it to be withdrawn endwise from .the binder 12. The devices 11 serve, in efiect, as a means for destroying the smooth continuity of the spiral at both ends of. the binder and they are efliciently arranged within the recesses 14, so that they do not interfere with the freedom of movement or adjustment of the sheets of the stack.

Instead of using removable stops on both ends of a spiral binding element, such as the tie pin clasps 'I'I of Figure 3, it is obvious that for certain purposes it will be found convenient to use a removable stop on one end of the spiral element only, while the otherend may be deformed in any such suitable or preferred manner, as shown in Figure 1, for example.

By the use of two removable stop devices, one

at each end, removal of sheets from or inser-.

tion of sheets into the stack is made easier than if one end is provided with a permanent stop. Referring to Figure 3, for instance, if it is desired to remove the top sheets of the stack, this may be most conveniently done by removing the stop II at the left of Figure 3 and unscrewing the spiral element 12 toward the right of the figure. The top sheets may then be removed while the left terminal portion of the spiral ele ment is still in the extreme right hand perforation of the stack and still holding the sheets to some degree in registration. Sheets, at the back of the stack however, cannot be removed until the spiral is completely disengaged from the stack.

If on the other hand it is desired to remove sheets from back of the stack of Figure 3, it will be found convenient to remove the right hand stop H and unscrew the spiral to the left.

If one of the stops is permanently in place on the spiral it will be necessary in all cases to disengage the spiral completely from the stack.

In Figure 4, I have shown an arrangement similar to Figure 3, in which only a single clamping device 18, similar to the device 11 is necessary. The stack 19 is recessed as at 80; and the binder 8| engages with the stack perforations 82 and the backing perforations 83. During the threading of the binder into association with the elements, the device 18 is applied so that when the binder is finally in position the device 18 is not at the extreme end of the binder but near the end, and on the reverse side of the backing 83. The rotation of the binder is finally limited by the encounter of the device 18 with the rear of the perforations B4 and the front of the perforations 85. However it will be understood that while the device 18 has been shown on the reverse side of the backing, that it might be positioned on the obverse side and in one of the recesses, the right hand recess 80, for instance, with the same effect.

While I have illustrated the stack as having portions thereof cut away so as to expose the backing, it will be obvious that the same result, namely that of engagment of the stop portions on the spiral element with portions of the backing instead of the stack, will be attained by leaving the stack of rectangular form and providing portions on the backing extending beyond the stack.

In Figure 5 I have shown a construction in which a cover or backing is added to a backing such as shown in the remaining figures of the drawing. In this figure 90 indicates the stack, 93 the backing, and 92 the aforementioned added cover or backing. The spiral element 94 passing through perforations 98 in the cover 92, the perforations 96 in stack 90, and perforations 99 of backing 93, binds the assembly together.

The cover 92 may be contoured like the backing 93, or like the stack, and it willbe obvious that it may be used in connection with any of the heretofore described constructions.

In general, it will be understood that'the ramifications of my invention are considerable in number, and that the illustrations and descriptions herein contained are obviously given in large measure merely for the purpose of illustration. It will be understood that changes in the details herein described and illustrated, for the purpose of explaining the nature of my invention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. It is, therefore, intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:--

l. A binding construction for a stack of sheets having a row of uniformly spaced perforations along one edge thereof, a relatively rigid backing adapted to overlie said stack, said backing having a row of uniformly spaced perforations adjacent one edge thereof, said respective perforations in the stackand the backing being adapted to register and to receive therewithin, in threaded relation, a spiral binding element, and said perforations in the backing extending beyond the perforations in the stack, a spiral binding element extending through the perforations of the stack and the backing so as to hold them together in bound relation, and at least one end of said element extending through an end perforation of said row of perforations in the backing, and means on said binding element positioned beyond the confines of the stack but within the confines of the backing for preventing disassociation of said binding element from the stack.

2. A binding construction for a stack of sheets having a row of uniformly spaced perforations along one edge thereof, a relatively rigid backing adapted to overlie said stack, said backing having a row of uniformly spaced perforations adjacent one edge thereof, said respective perforations in the stack and the backing being adapted to register and to receive therewithin, in threaded relation, a spiral binding element, and said perforations in the backing extending beyond the perforations in the stack, a spiral binding element extending through the perforations of the stack and the backing so as to hold them together in bound relation, and the ends of said element extending through the end perforations of said row of perforations in the backing, and means on the respective ends of said binding element and positioned beyond the confines of the stack to prevent disassociation of said elementfrom said stack.

3. A binding construction for a stack of sheets having a row of uniformly spaced perforations along one edge thereof, a relatively rigid backing adapted to overlie said stack, said backing having a row of uniformly spaced perforations adjacent one edge thereof, said respective perforations in the stack and the backing being adapted to register and to receive therewithin, in threaded relation, a spiral binding element, and said perforations in the backing extending beyond the perforations in the stack, a spiral binding element extending through the perforations of the stack and the backing so as to hold them together in bound relation, and at least one end of said element extending through an end perforation of said row of perforations in the backing, and portions of said last-named end of said element positioned beyond said stack being deformed from their normal contour so as to prevent their passage through said perforations.

4. A binding construction for a stack of sheets having a row of uniformly spaced perforations along one edge thereof, a relatively rigid backing adapted to overlie said stack, said backing hav-- ing a row of uniformly spaced perforations adjacent one edge thereof, said respective perforations in the stack and the backing being adapted to register and to receive therewithin, in threaded relation, a spiral binding element, and said perforations in the backing extending beyond the perforations in the stack, a spiral binding element extending through the perforations of the stack and the backing so as to hold them together in bound relation, and at least one end of said element extending through an end perforation of said row of perforations in the backing, and a means of such dimensions that it cannot pass through said perforations removably positioned on the said last-named end of said element, beyond the confines of the stack.

5. In combination with a stack of sheets, a backing therefor, a row of uniformly spaced perforations adjacent one edge of said combined stack and backing, the corners of the stack being cut away so as to expose the end perforations of the backing, a spiral binding element threaded through said perforations, the said binding element being of sufficient length so as to pass through at least one of said exposed perforations of the backing, but not to extend beyond the ends of said perforated edge of the backing, and means on the binding element positioned beyond the confines-of the stack for preventing disassociation of the binding element from thestack.

6. In combination with a stack of sheets, a backing therefor, a row of uniformly spaced perforations adjacent one edge of said combined stack and backing, the corners of the stack being cut away so as to expose the end perforations of the backing, a spiral binding element threaded through said perforations, the said binding element being of sufiicient length so as to pass through at least one of said exposed perforations of the backing, but not to extend beyond the ends of said perforated edge of the backing, and portions of the binding element positioned beyond the confines of the stack being deformed from their normal contour into such a configuration as to prevent disassociation of the binding element from the stack.

7. In combination with a stack of sheets, a backing therefor, a row of uniformly spaced perforations adjacent one edge of said combined stack and backing, the corners of the stack being cut away so as to expose the end perforations of the backing, a spiral binding element threaded through said perforations, the said binding element being of sufficient length so as to pass through at least one of said exposed perforations of the backing, but not to extend beyond the ends of said perforated edge of the backing, and means removably positioned on portions of said binding element beyond the confines of the stack, and adapted to prevent disassociation of the binding element from the stack.

8. In combination with a stack of sheets, a backing positioned on each side of said stack, a row of uniformly spaced perforations adjacent one edge of said combined stack and backings, the corners of the stack being cut away so as to expose the end perforations at at least one side of the backing, a spiral binding element threaded through said perforations, the said binding element being of sufficient length so as to pass through at least one of said exposed perforations of the backing, but not to extend beyond the ends of said perforated edge of the backing, and means positioned within the confines of the backing but without the confines of the stack, for preventing disassociation of said element from the stack and the backing.

9. A binding construction for a stack of sheets having a row of uniformly spaced perforations along one edge thereof, a relatively rigid backing adapted to overlie said stack, said backing having a row of uniformly spaced perforations adjacent one edge thereof, said respective perforations in the stack and backing being adapted to register and to receive therein in threaded relabinding element positioned beyond the confines of the stack but within the confines of the backing for preventing disassociation of said binding element from the stack.

10. In combination with a stack of sheets, a backing therefor, a row of uniformly spaced perforations adjacent one edge of said combined stack and backing, said backing having perforated areas thereof extending beyond the stack PO as to expose the same, a spiral binding element threaded through said perforations, the said binding element being of sufficient length so as to pass through at least one of said exposed perforations of the backing, but not to extend beyond the ends of said perforated edge of the backing, and means on the binding element positioned beyond the confines of the stack for preventing disassociation of the binding element from the stack.

11. In combination with a stack of sheets, a backing therefor, a row of uniformly spaced perforations adjacent one edge of said combined stack and backing, said backing having perforated areas thereof extending beyond the stack so as to expose the same, a spiral binding element threaded through said perforations, the said binding element being of sufiicient length so as to pass through at least one of said exposed perforations of the backing, but not to extend beyond the ends of said perforated edge of the backing,

and portions of the binding element positioned beyond the confines of the stack being deformed from their normal contour into such a configuration as to prevent disassociation of the binding element from the stack.

12.. In combination with a stack of sheets, a backing therefor. a row of uniformly spaced perforations adjacent one edge of said combined stack and backing, said backing having periorated areas thereof extending beyond the stack so as to expose the same, a spiral binding element threaded through said perforations, the said binding element being of sufiicient length so as to pass through at least one of said exposed perforations oi. the backing, but not to extend beyond the ends of said perforated edge of the backing, and means removabiy positioned on portions of said binding element beyond the confines of the stack, and adapted to prevent disassociation of the binding element from the stack.

13. In combination with a stack of sheets, a backing positioned on each side of said stack, a row of uniformly spaced perforations adjacent one edge of said combined stack and backings, said backing having, perforated areas thereof extending beyond the stack so as to expose the same, a spiral binding element threaded through said perforations, the said binding element being of sufficient length so as to pass through at least one of said exposed perforations of the backing, but not to extend beyond the ends of said perforated edge of the backing, and means positioned within the confines of the backing but without the confines of the stack, for reventing disassociation of said element from the stack and the backing.

WALTER. GRUMBACHER.